Moving-picture apparatus.



J. BUTGHER. MOVING PICTURE APBARATUS. AlfPLIoATIYoN FILED 00L 16, 1911.

Pat-,emaHoenr 27, .1914.

4 sH'lETs-SHEBT 1.

J. BUTGHER.

MOYING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.16, 1911.

1,1 14,730. Patented oen. 27, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET s.

J. BUTGHER.

MOVING PICTURE APPARATUS.

APPLIGATIQN FILED 00T. 1e, 1911,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

lUITED STATES JOSEPH BUTCHER, OF BROOKLYN, NEVI MOVING-PICTURE APPARATUS.

T0 all whom it may con cera Be it known that I, JosnrH BUTGHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented an Improvement in 'Moving-Picture Apparatus, of which the Asaid pictures. One of the advantages of this type of apparatus over that commonly used in which the pictures are on a transparent film, is that it eliminates the danger due to the use of ai ilm made of a highlycomloustible material, such as is commonly used inthe production of the transparent ilms.- An opaque picture-carrying strip can be made of substantially non-combustible material or at least of very slow-burning material, and the use of a strip of this type rather than one made of Celluloid or other 'combustible material obviatcs almost entirely any fire danger. Moreover, where anv opaque picture-carrying strip is used the pictures thereon can be readily colored, thus making it possible to throw colored moving pictures on the screen.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a novel projection'apparatus adapted to'use an opaque picture-carrying strip in which the entireY mechanism for feeding and supporting the picture-carrying strip is located at/one side of the axis of the projecting lens, thus making it possible to produce a much more compact apparatus than where the picture-carrying strip is fed across or transversely of the axis of the projecting lens, as is usual in devices of this nature.

Other features of my invention will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated .a selected embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a view sho-wing a general arrangement of projecting apparatus and lamp; Fig. 2 is a side view of the projecting apparatus; Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof on substantially the line m`, Fig. 6; Fig. et is a fragmentary sec- Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2'?, 1914.

Application filed October 16, 19141. Serial N0. 655,059.

tional View of the strip-feeding mechanism on the line e-e, Fig. 6; Fig. vis a fragmentary end view of the light hood; Fig. 6 is an end view of the projecting apparatus with. the light hood shown in section on the line )cf-j', Fig. 3; F ig. 7 isla detail`view of the strip-feeding mechanism; Fig. 8 'isa longitudinal sectional view on substantially the imei/hy, Fig. 2; Fig. 9 is a section on the line a-a, Fig. 8; Figs. 10 and 11 are vplan and side views of the escapement of the intermittent feed; Fig. l2 is a view of the y picture-carrying strip; Fig. 13 is a side Viewof the projection apparatus showing the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 14 is a view on substantially the line 5 6, Fig. 6; Fig. 15 is a section on the line c-c, F ig. 16;.Fig. 16 is a section through the line (I3-.CL Fig. 6; Fig. 17 is an enlarged section on the line e-e, Fig. 3.

The picture-carrying-strip is shown at l and it may he made of any suitable material on which pictures can be printed either by the photographic or any other process. Said strip, which is shown in detail somewhat in Fig. l2, will have a series of picture sections 2 on each of which is a picture, the various pictures goingA together to'make up the continuous moving picture. These pictures which are printed on the strip might be printed directly from the lilm which is at present commonly used in moving-picture machines. YThis strip l is sustained'by a strip-supporting and feeding mechanism which is herein shown as carried by a suitable stand or frame 3. Vliile it would be within my invention to employ a strip-supporting and feeding' mechanism of any suitable type adapted to properly support the strip and to feed it with an inter'- mittent motion, yet the mechanism herein shown is vwhat I regard as a practical one for this purpose.

'As illustrated, the stand 3 is provided with two sides or cheek pieces 4 and 5 which sustain the strip guiding andy-feeding rolls.

These rolls comprise a continuously-driven feeding roll 6, whichis Shown as having teeth or projections 7 thereon to engage the apertures 8 formed in the strip l, a guiding roll 9 and an intermittently-acting feeding roll l0 which is also provided with teeth ll to work in the apertures 8 of the strip.. The continuously-rotating roll-6 may be driven by any suitable mechanism. As herein shown, the shaft of said roll has fast thereon a gear wheel 12 situated outside the cheek piece 4 and meshing with a pinion,`

13 on a driving shaftk 14. This drivin shaft, which is journaled partlyin the chee piece 4 and partly in ajbearing.or` bracket 15, has fast thereon `a pinion 1.6 meshing with and actuated by a driving gear 17 fast on a shaft 13 journaled in siiitable brackets 19 carried by 'the frame 3 and provided with a handle 2O byrwhich it may bejturnedb? The shaft14 is also preferably provided witlia balance wheel 210-`vwhich Voperates to steady the action of they device. The guideroll 9 is also preferably' positively driven,and for this purpose I employ a gear 21 which meshes with and is driven by the\`gear12 and is fast on the shaft 22 of the roll 9;

rlhe picture-carrying strip 1 is delivered to the feeding roll-6 through a guide 23, and said strip may and 95` that are shown as secured to` the/ underside of the table 96.

Situated between the guide roll 9 and/ the intermittently-acting feed roll 10 is af/strip support 24 over which the strip passes and which supports the portion of the strip that is illuminated, as will be presently described. |This strip support may be of any suitable or convenient construction and in the embodiment of the invention herein shown it is lin the form of a plate extending between the cheek pieces 4.and 5 and supported thereby and preferably it is provided with the extension 25 which overlies the central portion ofthe feed roll 10 be-` tween the sets of teeth 11 thereon.

26 designates'generally an objective or projecting lens for projecting the image on the screen. rllhis lens can conveniently be carried by the frame 3, and in the present embodiment of the invention is situated above the strip-feeding and guiding mechanism so lthat all the operating mechanism is compactly situated below theprojecting lens.

37. designates a source of illuminationwhich may be an electric lamp or any other device. This is arranged to throw a beam of light upon the portion of the strip which is sustained by the strip support 24 thereby to illuminate such portion and means are employed to reflect an 'image of the illuminated portion of thev strip into the project-A ing lens 26. Any suitable reflecting means may be employed, that shown being a'mirror or reflector 27, and said reflector may be supported in proper position in' any appropriate way. l'. prefer, however, the construction shown wherein it is secured in the upper side or roof 28 of a light hood 29 having two sides connected by a bottom 30,

the latter' being placed to overlie the portion of the picture-carrymg strip sustained by the support 24 and having therein an opening 31 of a size to expose one of the picture be sustained on rolls 94 sections 2. The lamp 37 will preferably have suitable condensing lenses associated therewith which are arranged to collimate a beam of rays and direct said beam through theL aperture 31 onto the exposed picture section 2. The light rays from this illumil nated picture section 2 which strike the rehector 27 are reflected thereby into the projecting lens 26 so. that an image of the Apicture is projected through lsaid lens onto the screen. j l y 'lhe light hood'29 will preferably be movably mounted so that it can be thrown up out of the way and thus uncover the strip 1 thereby facilitating the feeding of the strip into the machine.

As herein shown this light hood 'is hinged'to the lens casing, as

shown at532, and the sides thereof are extended downwardly, as at 33, to form a handle by which the hood may be swung up out of the way about'its pivot, as shown in dotted lines lfig. 13. These sides 29 are shown as situated between side plates 34 carried by the fra'me and I have shown said' l side pieces as provided with locking projections 35 adapted to enter recesses 36' formed 'in the side pieces 34 whereby the light hood will be locked in its operative position. By forcing the side extensions 33 together, however, as would be naturally done in taking hold of them for4 lifting the light hood up, the lock can-be released so as to permit said hood to be swung up out of the way.

' As stated above the feed roll 10 is intermittently rotated as usual andnecess'ary in the feed devices of moving-picture machines. It would be within my invention to employ any suitable mechanism for thus giving the feed roll its intermittent movement, but l prefer to use the construction herein illustrated and which has been made the subject matter of another application filed by me y j' October 16, 1911, Se. No. 655,060,and the construction of which will now be briefly described. 9

The feed roll 10 is loosely mounted on a spring-actuated member 38 which in turn vis loosely mounted upon a shaft 39 that is suitably journaled in the cheek pieces 4 and 5 vand has a gear 40 thereon which meshes with and is driven by an idler 41 that in turn meshes with the pinion 13, as seenin Fig. 14. The shaft 39 is, therefore,` continuously rotated. Situated within the member 38 is a spring which is secured to the member 38, thus establishing a spring or between these parts. rIhe member 38 has fast therewith a wheel or flange 43 provided with a plurality of arms`44 and lthese arms cooperate with a let-o wheel 45 that is carried by a shaft 46 mounted in suitable bearings 47 carried by the cheek piece 4.'

42,-one end of which is fastened to the shaft 39, andthe other end ofyielding connection A This shaft 46 is geared to the shaft 14 through the bevel gears 48 and thus has av continuous rotary motion. rlvhe let-off disk is provided With an inclined slot 49 therein Whichpis brought into register With the path of movement of the pins 44 once during each revolution of the shaft 46. The continuous rotation of the shaft 39 tends to Wind up the spring 42 and to maintain one of the arms 44 against the underside of the disk 49, as shown in Fig. 16. When during the rotation of the disk the slot 49 comes into line With the path of movement of the pins 44 the pin in engagement with the disk Will,

pass into said slot and will move up through the slot as the disk rotates. inclination of the slot, however, the pin 44 will not pass out from the slot 49 until the bottom end of the slot has been carried beyond the path of movement of the pins so that when the pin is released from the slot and the spring 42 drives the member for-.

Ward the next pin Will strike the disk 45 and thus preveni-J further rotation of the member 38 until the let-off disk has made another complete turn. The feed roll l0 is clamped to the member 38 to rotate there- With, this being accomplished by providing said member 38 with a clamping iiange 50 with which one end of the roll 10 engages and providing a clamping member 5l which.

is screw-threaded to the member 38 and-is adapted to engage the other end of the roll 10. Under Working conditions the roll, 10-

is firmly clamped to the member 38 and Will have the intermittent' movement given to the said member by the escapement mechanism above described. The roll l0 may -be unclamped from the member 38 and adjusted thereon as is necessary to `adjust the strip so as to bring the picture sections thereon into proper alinement with the opening 3l.

The escapement mechanism above described has the advantage that the intermittent movement thereof is exceedingly quick, so quick in fact that the time taken to move the strip forward is very small compared With the length of time Which the strip is held stationary.

The. use of shutters or other devices which are apt to cause a iiicker in the projected image is not necessary with this apparatus.

From the above it will be seenthat I have provided. a novel moving-picture apparatus adapted to project images of pictures carried by an opaque picture-carrying strip and also that the entire mechanism for feeding and supporting the strip is very compact and is situated entirely below the projecting lens. The use of an opaque picture-carrying strip enables me to use a strip which is formed of material which cannot be'ignited merely by the heat of the lamp,

Owing .to the A ture machines that employ the Celluloid films. The arrangement of strip-feeding and supporting mechanism makes a very compact machine Which can be inexpensively manufactured.

lhile I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention I do not Wish to be limited to the precise details shown.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. In a moving-picture projection apparatus, the combination With a projecting lens, of means to sustain a portion of an opaque picture-carrying strip below said lens and in a ,plane situated at an acute angle to the axis thereof, strip-feeding means, means to illumine said portion of the picture-carrying strip, and a reiiector pivotally connected to the projecting lens and `vvhen in its operative position situated to reflect an image of the illumined portion of the strip into the projecting lens.

In a moving-picture projection apparatus, the combination with a projecting lens, .of means to sustain a portion of an opaque picture-carrying strip 1n a plane situated out of line With the axis of said projecting lens and at an acute angle thereto,

Y strip-feeding means, means to illumine said portion of the strip, and a reflector mounted onthe projecting lens and situated to reflect an image of the illumined portion of the strip into said lens.

In a moving-picture projection apparatus, the combination with a projecting lens, of means to sustaina portion of an opaque picture-carrying strip in a plane situated out of linewith the axis of said projecting lens, strip-feeding means, means to illumine said portion of the strip, and a re- Hector pivotally connected to the projecting lens and When inoperative position situated to reiiect an image of the illumined portion of the strip into the projecting lens.

4. In a moving-picture rejection "apparatus, the combination Wit a frame, of a projecting lens sustained thereby, a strip support sustained by the frame beneath the projecting lens and situated to maintain the portion of the picture-carrying strip supported thereby at an angle to but out of line Withthe axis of said projecting lens, feeding means, means to illumine the portion of the strip sustained on said strip support, and a reflector pivotally connected to the projectinglens and When in operative position situated to reiect an image of the illumined portion of the strip intosaid lens.

5. In a device of t-he class described, the combination With a stand, of a projecting lens carried thereby, a bracket secured' to the stand beneath said lens,'a strip support sustair ed by .the bracket and situated at one side of and outof line With the axis of the stripprojecting lens,V a picture-carrying strip sustained by said support, a hood having a bottorn which overlies said support and is provided With an openingtherein of a size to expose one section of said strip, means to j illumine said exposed portion of the strip carried by the hand, and a reiector to re,- lect an image of the illumined portion of the strip into th'e projecting lens.

6. lin a movingpicture projection apparatus, the combination With a projecting lens, of a strip support situated out of line with the axis of said lens and at one side thereof, means to feed a, picture-carrying strip across said support, ahood pivotally. connected to the projecting vlens and formed With a bottom Which overlies the strip sup- `port and is provided with an opening there- 

